Revelation
7 Luke 2:25-32
Dear friends in Christ, especially Frances, Mark, and Adam. Grace to you and peace from God our Father,
through our Lord, Jesus Christ.
Amen.
This last few weeks and months were not easy for our dear friend Alvin. He suffered terribly from cancer. There was great pain as fluid built up in his
abdomen, as cancer began to shut down his body.
It was a long, slow, painful wait the last week and a half, as slowly,
life came to its end for Alvin.
As Alvin’s body deteriorated into pain, and swelling, and death, the
words of both our texts today came to mind, and I even had the privilege of
reading them to Alvin. “Lord now lettest
thou thy servant depart in peace.” Let
him be at peace, let him go home, let him leave this world to finally be in
heaven. That has been our prayer for
Alvin these last few weeks! Please just
let it all be done, and let him rest in peace.
That was the prayer of Simeon in our text as well. He was coming to the end of his life, and he
knew it. But God had promised him that
before he died, he would see the Savior, the Salvation of his soul, Jesus. When finally Jesus came into the temple,
Simeon beheld him with his own eyes, and held him with his own hands, then
Simeon knew it was the time to depart, to be at peace, all of it according to
God’s Word and promises to him.
Alvin too beheld Jesus. Alvin too
held Jesus with his own hands, as the very body and blood of Jesus came to him
a few weeks ago. Jesus had made a
promise to Alvin as well, a promise sealed in blood, that washed Alvin in the
forgiving waters of Baptism so long ago.
A promise that one day, Alvin would be at peace. That he would no longer face the struggles of
this world. That he would not feel pain
anymore. That he would depart this life
and enter an eternal paradise prepared by God.
There, “Alvin stands before the throne of God, and serves him day
and night in his temple; and he who sits
on the throne shelters Alvin with his presence. Alvin hungers no more, neither
thirsts anymore; the sun does not strike
him, nor any scorching heat. For the
Lamb in the midst of the throne is now his shepherd, and guides Alvin to
springs of living water, and God has wiped away every tear from
Alvin’s eyes.” Today, Alvin is at peace
– peace that surpasses all human understanding.
Dear friends, that promise is for you as well. You too have struggles and difficulties in
your life, as did Alvin. You too
continually face this sinful world and its pain and dangers. And God’s promise is for you as well. According to God’s Word, you too can behold
your savior. You too come into the
presence of Jesus – the crucified and risen Lord for the sins of the
world. And being baptized, faith filled
children of God may receive the crown of life, and depart in God’s peace.
Today, Alvin is there, in heaven, at peace finally. Today he rests from his many labors. Today he no longer has pain. He has departed in peace, according to God’s
word. For he has seen his Savior, and he
has received his gifts. Amen.
